Godzilla X Princess Mononoke: Gods and Monsters
by Kaiju Alpha
Summary: Werewolf/Modern!AU/Godzilla Xover San Kiba and her brothers are the new students of Tatara University, a school also attended by Ashitaka "Ashi" Emishi who is almost instantly smitten by the mysterious new girl. However, one night, he stumbles upon the secret of her family. Soon, he and San find themselves in a blooming romance during an age of gods, demons, and titans.
1. Prologue

_In a time long forgotten, when forests still covered the lands, there was a balance upheld by the humans and gods. For a time, the two sides lived harmoniously with each other. However, humanity's greed eventually claimed the better of them and they began to tear the forests down in order to expand their control on the land._

 _Outraged, some of the gods sought to rid the humans and protect their territories only for them to walk into darker paths, resulting in them becoming demons. With their armies at their sides, the gods-turned-demons struck out against all that stood in their path, human and god alike. The bloodshed was so great, the fallen gods had to be sealed away._

 _Sensing their time was coming to an end, the gods fled into their own sanctuary, leaving the humans to do as they pleased. However, humanity's greed and blood-lust would not go unpunished. For in their quest to lay claim to the world... they awakened a new kind of god. A god who was not as accepting towards the humans and the ones who came before it. A god who would burn all humanity had created. A god... of destruction._

 _And he was only the first._


	2. Meet the New Girl

Meet the New Girl

"Rise! Stand! Bow! Sit!"

Ashitaka "Ashi" Emishi and his friend Kaya Hishin, a brown-haired, eighteen-year-old who was rather short for her size, followed the instructions given to them by the Class Representative before their _sensei_ took his place at his desk. "Good morning, class," he spoke up, his wizened voice reaching across the room, "before we get started with today's lesson, I would like to announce we have three new students attending Tatara University. I want you to give them a very warm welcome when they enter."

"Hey, Kaya," Ashi whispered to his friend, "did you see anyone new in the hallway after walking in?"

"Not really," she answered in a low voice, "well, at least nobody outside of the usual."

Just then the door opened and in stepped three figures. The first one was a young man somewhere in his late teens/early twenties. He had a very rugged look to him, almost like he was a member of the _yakuza_ who lived in the woods. He had hard, golden eyes which screamed bad news to anyone who crossed him. The most prominent feature about him was his mop of silvery-white hair resting on his head. The second one to walk in was obviously his brother; same eyes, same hair, same rugged look but with a silver-white goatee growing on his chin. Finally, last but not least there was the third new student... who made Ashi's eyes widen upon first sight.

It was a girl who appeared to be a year younger than him or her brothers and she stuck out among them like a sore thumb. Like her brothers, she had a very rugged look to her but she also had a sense of beauty one would find in a wild animal. She was somewhat smaller than her brothers and, instead of silver hair, she had a mop of mud-brown hair which only came down to her neck, giving her a very boy-like appearance. She had piercing brown eyes. The most striking feature about her was her face; namely the markings on it. There were three, triangular, red marks; one in the center of her forehead and two on each cheek shaped like fangs.

One thing was for sure, all three of them seemed intimidating even when adored in school uniforms.

"Check those three out." Ashi heard his fellow students whisper.

"You think they're _yakuza_?"

"You wanna find out?"

"What's with that girl's face? Is she wearing war paint or somethin'?"

"Ssssh, they might hear you."

Just then, their teacher rose up and cleared his throat, "May I present our new class members; Ichii, Nii, and San Kiba."

The three new-comers bowed rather stiffly.

Kaya whispered back to Ashi, "What kind of parent names their kids after numbers?"

Ashi just shrugged.

"I believe there are some open seats... right... there." the old man pointed to a trio of empty chairs... right next to Ashitaka. The three strode up and took their seats, the girl sitting right next to Ashi.

"Now," their teacher started as he pulled out a text book, "everyone turn to page 148 and we can begin."

As they followed his instructions, Ashi couldn't help but notice the fresh, pine-like scent coming off the three.

 _They smell like nature_. he thought as he peered from the corner of his eye as the girl and her brothers followed the text in a rather disinterested fashion. Just as he saw the girl start to glance back at him, he quickly turned his gaze back to his text and continued reading. At the same time, San narrowed her eyes at the brown-haired boy before returning to following the text. Eventually, the teacher stepped out of the classroom as lunch time rolled around as Ashi and Kaya pulled out their respective lunches.

"Damn it, San!" one of the Kiba brothers (the one with the goatee) scolded his sister, "You forgot to pack my lunch!"

"I'm sorry, but do you see a name-tag on my uniform that says 'Second Mom'?" San snarked back.

"It's kinda your fault, Nii." the second brother -Ichii- told him as he started digging into his _bento._

It was the first time Ashi and Kaya heard the three siblings talk and, true enough, their voices were just as rough as their appearances. Ichii had a somewhat subdued, deep voice that seemed to fit more with a thirty-year-old man as opposed to someone in his late teens. Nii had a somewhat gravelly voice with a bit of an immature tint to it. San's voice could only be described as a Californian valley girl raised as a tomboy.

"You could at least give me your lunch, guys! Come on, I'm starving!" Nii complained.

"Again, your problem, not ours," Ichii replied, "now quit whining. People are starting to stare."

Ashitaka then looked at his lunch before deciding on a compromise. "Um, hey, one of you could share your lunch with me and I could give you mine."

San stared at the young man before her before sighing and sliding her box between herself and Ashi before taking the box away from him and placing it in front of her brother. Nii looked at the contents of the box and grimaced. "What, no venison?"

"Are you gonna eat it or not?" San growled at her brother. Nii looked at the food in front of him before shrugging and digging into it ravenously.

Meanwhile, Ashi and San began to share from the _bento._ Ashi couldn't help but notice a lot of the food in her box consisted of smoked venison strips, steamed wild rice, and plants one would find in the wilderness. He also thought now would be a good time to start a conversation with the mysterious, feral beauty.

"So, I don't think we've been formally introduced," he started, "my name's Ashitaka, or just Ashi to my friends, and, you're San, right?"

San just gave him a deadpan glance before continuing to eat.

Ashi tore off a piece of venison and put it into his mouth, noting its salty, smoked taste and its tough, chewy texture.

"I hope you don't mind me asking, but are you outdoors-people? I understand if that's none of my business, but I was just curious what with your lunch and everything, I just couldn't help but ask-"

"Look, Ashitaka, was it?" San finally spoke up, having paused from her meal.

"Or Ashi to my fri-"

"Whatever," San interrupted with a roll of her eyes, "I'm sure you have a _lot_ of questions about me, and in the right circumstance, I would be _happy_ to answer them. But, right now, I don't. So, here's how it's going to go; you don't ask me or my brothers anymore questions for the time being or until I am in the mood for telling you my life story, okay?"

Ashi just sighed and nodded. The two then continued sharing their meal without so much as a word between each other. Kaya, who was watching just smirked and playfully fisted her friend's shoulder. "I think she likes you~." she teased in a sing-song voice.

 _Really?_ Ashi mentally scoffed, _I couldn't tell._

For the rest of the day, Ashi didn't speak one word to San. In fact, there was barely a case of interaction between him, San, or her brothers. When the school day was over, Ashi watched as San and her brothers exited the university from his and Kaya's dorm, now having shed their uniforms for more casual clothing. Ashi was currently dressed in a blue t-shirt and peach shorts sitting at his desk, while Kaya was dressed in a purple t-shirt and blue capri pants laying on her bed, her brown hair loosed and flowing while currently reading her favorite book _The Mountain Lion's Wife_.

"Hey, Kaya?" Ashi asked her.

"Yeah, Ashi?"

"Where do you think they live?"

Kaya shrugged, not taking her face away from her book, "Meh, I don't know. Probably in an alley, or the woods for all I care. One thing's for certain; They don't seem like the folks you would want to run into after dark."

"Oh, come on, Kaya, I don't think they're that bad."

Kaya sighed, put a book mark in the chapter she finished, and sat up in her bed, her bare feet crossed as she looked at her childhood friend with a concerned expression. "Ashitaka, I've been around people like them before," she told him, "trust me, you _don't_ want to get yourself involved with those guys. The endings tend to be on the... messy side. Just try to stay your distance from them, alright?"

Ashi just rose an eyebrow, "I thought you said San likes me."

Kaya groaned, "I was just teasing y-" She then hardened her expression, "Look, just try to keep your distance from them, alright? Teasing Kaya's been put to bed, Serious Kaya is in the driver's seat right now. Keep a low profile around them for a while, they seem like they could give the _Yakuza_ a run for their money. Can you do that for me?"

Ashi sighed, "Alright, Kaya, I'll try to keep my distance from them."

Kaya smiled before returning to her reading. Ashi then turned out and watched the sun descend beneath Tokyo's buildings.

"Whoo-hoo!" Nii proclaimed, "I thought that day would never end!"

"Mostly because your stomach was on overdrive today." San muttered, "Not to mention you forgot to eat breakfast."

Nii grumbled something behind his sister's back but kept walking.

"San, I was wondering," spoke up Ichii, "about that boy in class."

San groaned, "What about him?"

"What if he finds out?"

"He won't." San answered bluntly.

"But what if he _does_?" Ichii interjected.

"Then we'll deal with it when it happens," the youngest Kiba replied, "but right now, he doesn't suspect a thing."

Ichii shook his head with a sigh, "If you say so, San. Let's just head home. Mom's probably waiting for us."

He then turned to face his brother, the shadows of the setting sun giving him an almost feral grin, "Besides, it'll mean we get to hunt for more venison, right, Nii?"

Nii narrowed his eyes, "Oh, ha ha, it's surprising you didn't go into the comedy business."

San turned her gaze to the university and stared at it for a while, thinking about what Ichii told her. How, _would_ they deal with that boy the moment he found out?

 _Oh well_ , San shrugged to herself, _I'm sure I'll think of something_. She then continued her trek home with her brothers.


	3. Curiosity and the Cat

Curiosity and the Cat

The next day, Ashi still couldn't get San and her brothers off his mind. Kaya's warning or not, there was something... off about them in more ways than one. Be it the way they smelled like the outdoors and their lunches consisted of food one would find out in the wild. However, there was something else but not one he could put his finger on. He doubted they would answer his questions. Ashi just mentally shrugged, _I've only known them for a day. Maybe I just need to let them get used to me_. With that hopeful thought in his mind, Ashi gathered his belongings and headed to his class, Kaya already having gained a head start.

Once arriving in the classroom, Ashi noticed his empty chair... right between Kaya and San while her brothers sat on her right, just like yesterday. The three cast him a stare and he felt like a deer in the headlights. He gave them a sheepish grin before slowly edging himself into his seat and in between the two girls. "Hey," Kaya whispered, "you doing alright?"

"You _did_ tell me to take it easy around them."

"Yeah, I did, but I didn't mean like that."

"Then what _did_ you mean?"

"Not acting like a nervous wreck for starters."

"What are you guys whispering about?"

Ashi and Kaya nearly jumped out of their seats the moment Nii stuck his head between them.

"N-nothing!" Kaya replied, now in her normal voice, "Right, Ashi?"

Ashi just nodded, "Yep, nothing at all."

"If you say so." Nii shrugged as he retook his seat.

With a sigh, Ashi and Kaya got back into reading about the G-Incursion of '54. The rest of the school day was quite boring for the most part. However, just as he was about to call it a day, Ashi noticed something about San as she was walking by with her brothers to the front door.

"Hey, wait up!" he called out.

San turned to face him while her brothers cast Ashi a darkened glare. San waved her brothers off, telling them she would catch up. With a huff, Ichii and Nii exited, leaving San with Ashi, the former crossing her arms and frowning.

"If you're about to start asking me questions about my life, I'm sorry to tell you this is not the time either." she told him.

"Actually, I was going to ask you if we could go out sometime," Ashi replied, "y'know, like a date?"

San tilted her head and her frown disappeared into a quizzical look, "A date?"

"Yeah, a date. When we go out and-"

"I know what a date is." San deadpanned, "I'm just trying to understand why you want to go on a date with me."

"It's just so we can get to know each other." Ashi replied. "If you don't want to that's fine. I mean, I don't really have a lot to do and I'd have to make room in my schedule because I've got archery practice every second Wednesday and all."

San seemed to ponder for a moment before turning around without a second word towards the door.

"So, is that a yes?" Ashi called out to her.

"I'll... consider it." she replied as she exited the building.

 _At least she didn't say no_. Ashi thought to himself.

"YOU ASKED HER _WHAT!?"_ Kaya screamed at a pajama-clad Ashi as he rubbed his temples. He had forgotten how shrill his friend/dorm-mate's voice could get.

"I asked her if we could hang out sometime."

"Maybe I wasn't clear when I told you she and her brothers make the _Yakuza_ look like a bunch of school punks and that you should _keep a low profile_."

"She said she would consider it, Kaya," Ashi said, "she didn't say yes or no."

"Ashitaka," Kaya groaned, "that's how they lure you in. They say they'll consider it, then they say yes, then they drag you to a dark alleyway where they do... things to you, and the next day you'll find yourself missing a kidney, or a lung, or any organ they so choose."

Ashi sighed, "Kaya, don't you think you're being a little paranoid?"

Kaya groaned again and pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration, "No, I'm trying to keep you safe."

Ashi nodded, "I understand. But, maybe if I go out with San and come back, no missing organs, not even a scratch on me, then you'll realize there's nothing to be afraid of."

"If you say so."

There was a brief moment of awkward silence between the two before Ashi broke it.

"Ummm, how about I get us something to drink from the store. Y'know, to make up for going behind your back."

"As long as it's nothing with alcohol in it." Kaya replied.

"Got it." Ashi then went about to changing his attire and left their dorm room.

"That'll be about ¥300 for the green tea and lemonade _ramune_." the clerk told him as he packed his and Kaya's drinks.

" _Arigato_." Ashi bowed in thanks before exiting the convenience store. There was a musical bell as he pushed the door open and walked out just in time to see the streetlights flicker on. However, he soon noticed the path San and her brothers took leading into the forest before him. _This must be where they live_. he thought. However, there was something... off about this whole situation. The mouth of the forest gave off an unworldly vibe that sent a cold sensation through his spine, his bones, and his blood. However, there was a thread of curiosity being tugged by invisible hands. _Maybe just one little peek won't hurt._ Ashi thought. _Yeah, just one little peek, and back to the university_. With that, Ashi ventured into the mouth of the forest, feeling like he was entering the open mouth of a hungry beast.

He had no idea how long he had ventured into the forest but already the cold feeling began to feel like arctic wind despite it still being the yearling days of Summer. He was about to turn back until a fast moving shape caught his attention from the corner of his eye. Once again, his curiosity overwhelmed his better judgement as he followed the shapes deeper into the forest. As he drew closer, he could hear the sounds of paws running across the ground before a howl pierced the sky and stopped him right in his tracks, right in the open area of a creek.

 _Wolves_? Ashi thought, _But that can't be right. Wolves in Japan are extinct._ His mind first came to maybe there were some wolves that had escaped from a zoo but there would at least be a news cast about something like that happening. Just then, he saw a lupine shape dart not to far from him after what was obviously a deer. Even though it was only silhouetted against the moon, he could make out some of its features... namely how it seemed to stand like a man. It was then followed by a second wolf with similar features to it. His heart began to race as he looked for shelter. There was another howl, this time it sounded much closer. He spotted a fallen tree in front of him and darted behind it. Peering out from a small opening, he saw an eight-point buck leap into view. There was a freshly bleeding claw wound on its left flank but not enough to be fatal. Ashi watched as the deer looked around, obviously making sure it had evaded its pursuers. Apparently, it did as the deer began lapping up water from the creek side... until another wolf leaped into view from behind a patch of bushes, its fangs bared and claws extended in a move that nearly made Ashi's heart jump out of his chest.

The moment the wolf's fangs met the deer's jugular, he knew it was already over as blood spurted out of the deer's throat, staining the wolf's muzzle red. As the third wolf howled its successful kill, the moon gave Ashi a good glance at the creature. The wolf was covered in mud-brown fur that spiked up like quills on a porcupine. It stood about ten feet in height and twelve feet in length from head to tail. What really stood out about it, was its fore and hind limbs. Its hind legs were long and gave the beast a human-like stance while its front legs ended in paws resembling hands. It had savage, red eyes with pupils glowing green as light reflected off of them. The two other wolves arrived, obviously drawn to the sound of the howl or the smell of spilled blood. They had the same features as their fellow pack-member but with whitish-silver fur as opposed to brown.

 _Are those werewolves_? Ashi thought to himself, recognizing the creatures' human-like features from the various books and movies he used to watch growing up. Almost in answer, the brown wolf began shake and twist as its body started to change before the young man's eyes. The werewolf began to shrink to the size of a human, revealing itself to have features giving away it was female. Her tail began to retract into her body while her fur began to retreat into her skin, leaving only a mop of hair on the head. Finally, her muzzle began to compact into a mouth and nose, her fangs returning to human teeth. While this was going on, the werewolf's growls as the transformation took place began to revert into human moans until finally a bare, female figure stood in front of the fallen deer and the two other werewolves.

Ashi then squinted his eyes a bit as something seemed familiar about the woman before him. Just then, it hit him. _Hard_. The girl had short, brown hair and three, red, triangular markings on her face. There was no denying it. She was-

"San?" Ashi whispered. Just then, San turned her gaze to Ashi's direction, giving him a good look at the still red, light-reflecting eyes and her blood caked face. She must have either heard him or caught his scent. However, before her eyes locked with his, Ashi immediately darted away, his heart pounding. _San's a werewolf_. he kept thinking to himself as he rushed out of the forest and back to the university. Upon arriving, he rushed up to his and Kaya's dorm and closed the door behind him, much to Kaya's surprise.

"You okay?" she asked.

Ashi took the time to catch his breath before replying, "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"Because you kinda look like you ran a marathon while being chased by a ghost."

Ashi didn't like lying, despite how good he could be at times, but he did not want to tell Kaya something along the lines of "I just found out San and her brothers are werewolves".

"Well, the store was closing early and I wanted to make it back quick before curfew."

Kaya's eyes squinted in what could only be described as suspicion before she shrugged. Ashi sighed in relief before he handed his room-mate her _ramune_. She pushed to cap in and took a sip. Ashi decided to place his can of ice tea into the mini-fridge. He then got dressed for bed as he tucked into his _futon_. Kaya said no other word and decided to hit the hay as well, re-sealing her bottle and placing it next to Ashi's drink. She then turned the light in the dorm off and tucked herself into bed.

"You're _sure_ someone saw us?" Nii asked, his voice turned gravelly due to his wolf state whilst San was busy getting dressed in the bushes.

"Yes, Nii, I'm sure." San replied, "I caught his scent."

"My question is, who was it?" Ichii pondered, having already reverted back into human form albeit wearing his tribal attire of a white fur cloak made from his shed fur as a pup clumped together by a sheet of sap, wrappings around his feet which exposed his heels and toes, and wrappings on his arms.

San didn't respond as she just continued to dress herself.

"She doesn't know." Nii spoke up, "Doesn't change the fact we're in big trouble the moment our secret comes out."

"Actually..." San replied in a rather sheepish voice, "I _do_ know who it was."

This caused her brothers to cast their sister inquisitive looks.

"Really?" Ichii asked, "Mind sharing with the two of us?"

"Remember that boy I sit with at class?"

"Yeah," Nii replied, "what was his name again? Akio? Akuma? Ashino?"

"Ashitaka." Ichii and San deadpanned.

"Yeah, that guy." Nii replied. Just then Nii's eyes widened as realization hit him. "Hey, San, didn't you say something about dealing with him if he found out?"

"I do, but I just haven't come up with a decision yet!" San replied as she stepped out from behind the bush, garbed in her own tribal attire which consisted of her own wolf fur pelt composed of her brothers' shed fur, a ragged, white dress with a torn, blue kimono underneath. She also wore a pair of large, silver-white earrings which chimed each time she turned her head, a necklace made up of her shed baby fangs, and three bands which she wore on her otherwise bare arms and forehead. Normally, she would wear leather shoes, but she opted to go barefoot as she didn't feel like putting them on right now.

"Well, you're gonna have to do _something_ , Sis." Nii told her as he entered the bush to change into his tribal attire.

"I know!" San snapped, "I'll deal with him tomorrow."

"San, you're not going to," Ichii asked, "well, you know..." He then made a throat slitting gesture.

San rolled her eyes, "No, Ichii, I'm not gonna kill him. You're not going to kill him. _Nobody's_ killing _anybody_."

"Then what do you plan to do?"

San bit her lip as she began to think. She then sighed knowing the decision she came up with probably wouldn't sit well with some... certain others.

"I'll tell you later. Right now, let's just get home." San replied. She then walked past her brothers to the creek just as Nii emerged wearing attire similar to his brother's but with leather shoes and a single-fanged band on his right arm.

"Mom doesn't need to know about this, does she?" Nii asked his sister as she rubbed a glittering, thick substance from a vial hanging on her waist and knelt down, pinching the water before her which seemed to take on the properties of gel. She pulled up and the water rose up into a rectangular form that glowed bright blue. San sighed, "I'm not going to tell Mom if none of _you_ tell Mom."

Nii smiled as he stepped into the sheet of water as if it were an open doorway. Ichii walked up to his sister and crossed his arms. "But, you _do_ know she's gonna find out in time, right?" he asked.

San just gave her brother a deadpan glance. Without speaking another word, Ichii entered the portal home to which San followed after. As soon as she stepped through, the portal's glow disappeared and it collapsed back into the creek, having reverted to normal water.

The world's oceans are the most unexplored regions on our planet. We know more about what lies in space than we do at the bottom of the ocean. That is why it is such an excellent place to hide or sleep undisturbed. For in the depths unreachable by any sunlight, was a leviathan, dreaming of the day it was left to die bleeding on the shores of its island home by human intruders before being reborn by the flames of humanity's science, forever to be cursed as a monster constantly at war with the humans who turned it (or rather _him_ ) into who he was now. Just then, something began to pull him from his dreams. It was a faint call, not strong enough to garner his full attention, but it was enough to cause him to stir.

The beast's fiery, orange eyes snapped open, illuminating the dark depths with inner light, as he drew in a mouthful of sea water to fill his gill-laden lungs and his stomach with any unfortunate sea-life into his gullet. The King of the Monsters was awake and on the move. However, this movement was not unseen, as far from sight, a metallic spider hanging from a deep-sea cliff side watched the leviathan's awakening.

"Activity detected in the Marianas Trench." announced a female technician as the people of Susano-o got to work on tracking the movements of the Kaiju.

"What is the target's current trajectory?" asked the field commander as she just now entered the bridge.

"Currently, G's route is twenty seven point seven one three three three degrees north and one hundred forty two zero nine nine seven twenty-two," responded a male technician, "that puts him in route to the Ogasawara Islands, nowhere near any populated locations."

"Just keep tracking him."

"Yes, Ma'am."

The commander of Susano-o, Eboshi Gozen (or as she was also known as the Iron Lady due to her cold, reserved personality and physique), was an elegant young woman with black hair tied in a traditional bun, piercing brown eyes, and wore the Susano-o uniform, complete with the emblem of eight dragon heads being held back by a _katana_. She always carried around a piece of dark blue _kimono_ which she rubbed between her fingers. She stared at the disappearing silhouette of the Kaiju as he disappeared into the shadowy depths. However, a massive, sinewy tail swung down towards the monitors, no doubt smashing the drone and ending the transmission.

"You can't keep away from me forever, your majesty," she whispered in contempt, "soon your hunger for destruction will get the better of you and when it does, your reign will come crashing down. It's just a matter of time."


	4. Questions and Answers

Questions and Answers

" _Another protest towards the Marutomo Company is being held at the base of Mt. Hakone today._ " an NHK newswoman by the name of Yuri Tachibana reported with legions of picket-fence wielding protesters behind her, " _The Marutomo Company has been the subject of controversy since its announcement of an excavation plan at the base of the mountain. However, some have said these protests extend beyond ecological reasons as some claim to believe a slumbering creature dwells beneath the mountain and, should it be awakened, will bring pestilence and death to all who get in its path. Whatever the case, the protests are scheduled to last until late tonight. This is Yuri Tachibana, signing off_."

"Yo, Ashi," Kaya told Ashitaka as he turned the dorm's TV off, "last class of the semester, let's make it count." She was already garbed in her uniform, waiting for him at the door. Ashi was somewhat hesitant about heading to class today, especially considering he now knew San and her brothers'... little secret. But, he had a school year to finish, might as well get it over with. After a quick shower and a change into his uniform, Ashitaka followed Kaya out of their dormitory and headed straight for class. Upon arriving at the class room, Ashi noticed Ichii, Nii, and San's seats were empty. Maybe he didn't have to see them at all today. However, just as soon as he sat down, San and her brothers arrived and took their seats.

"I hope you studied for this class's finals," their _sensei_ told them as he passed out their tests, "because these are necessary for your passing. You may begin at your own time. Once you're finished, just place them on the tray on my desk and you are dismissed."

Ashi looked over his test and noticed it was a final on Kaijuology. True enough, he did study with Kaya days before the test so this was at least going to be an easy score for him. However, just before he could start, he felt a tap on his right shoulder. He turned to see San looking at him.

"Hey," she whispered, "do you have a spare pencil I can borrow? I left mine at home."

"Um, sure," Ashi stammered, a bit caught off guard, "just one second." He began to rummage through his bag before he pulled up a pencil, "here you-" He couldn't finish as she snatched it out of his hand and started on her test. "Go."

 _You're welcome_. Ashi thought as he started on his test, the first question being a multi-choice answer about the first human-Kaiju encounter which he circled "B" with the guess reading November 3rd, 1954. After a while, San and her brothers seemed to zoom past their tests. Finally, after a few minutes, San got out of her seat, walked over to the tray and placed her finished test in rather nonchalantly before walking out the door. Ashi soon followed, confident he had answered his questions correctly and placed the paper into the tray. He then bowed to the teacher.

" _Gomen_ for the school year, Tsubaraya- _sensei_." he thanked his teacher.

"Have a safe Summer break, Ashitaka." his teacher replied. With that, Ashi walked out the door and into the hallway. He looked around to see San was nowhere in sight. He then shrugged and went back to the dorm room. After all, he had a lot of clearing out until next year. However, he was unaware he was being watched. San had poked her head out from a corner which she was hiding behind. She watched as Ashitaka walked down the hall until he disappeared from sight.

"So," Nii asked, startling her, "when're ya gonna take care of him?"

San groaned and rolled her eyes, "Is this _all_ you're gonna ask me?"

"Well, he kind of has a good reason, San." Ichii told her.

San sighed and thought for a second before finally making her decision. "I'll do it tonight before the university closes for the Summer. Just head home. I'll catch up."

Nii and Ichii shrugged and headed out. "Have fun with your boyfriend, San~!" Nii taunted.

"He's _not_ my boyfriend." San muttered as her brothers disappeared from earshot.

Ashi sighed as he did the final clearing out on his side of the dormitory. The last thing he had to pack was his folding bow and arrow set he used for archery class. He already began to wonder how he was going to spend Summer vacation. His mother was currently schooling in America and it had been a long time since his father had died in battle. He then noticed Kaya, her suitcase in hand just about to leave. "So," she said, "guess I'll see you next year."

"Yeah, I guess so." Ashi replied.

With that, Kaya exited the room, leaving Ashi alone... or so he thought. Just then, he heard a knock on the door. _I guess Kaya must have forgotten something_. he thought. However, upon opening the door, he was shocked to see San standing in front of the doorway, her arms crossed. "Mind if we talk for a bit?" she asked.

Ashi sighed, "Look, I get it. First rule about Werewolf Fight Club: Don't talk about Werewolf Fight Club."

San rolled her eyes and entered the room, closing the door behind her. "Okay, first of all; we weren't fighting, we were _hunting_. Second of all, I just wanted to tell you, if you have questions about my life, now is the time to ask them, just as long as you don't turn it into a game of Twenty Questions because you and I have somewhere to go and I want to make this quick."

Ashi shrugged, "Sounds fair. I've only got four anyway." He then took a seat on his bed while San took a seat on Kaya's.

"Alright, first question." San told him.

"Have you ever killed a human?"

San gave Ashi a deadpan glance, "If I ever killed a human, chances are I would kinda bring suspicion about the identities of myself, my family, and my tribe and start a massive panic. So, no. I haven't killed a human being. Next question."

"Is it true that you can turn other people into werewolves by biting them?"

"Yes, but I've never tried that nor do I _want_ to try it. Third question."

"Do you transform in the light of a full moon?"

"No, we can transform any time we want. It's just that we're more powerful during a full moon. Last question, because I wanna wrap this up."

"Okay," Ashi sighed, "were you born a werewolf?"

San seemed to hesitate at answering this question and bit her lip as if she was wondering how to answer it. "O-Of course I was born a werewolf. Why wouldn't I be?"

 _Why did she seem so reluctant to answer at first?_ Ashi thought.

"Now, come on, let's go." San told him rather sharply as she got out of Kaya's bed and opened the door, gesturing him to follow her. Ashi sighed and walked out, his bag slung over his back. Upon exiting the university, San led him to the mouth of the forest where he saw her and her brothers kill the deer. "So, this is where you live?" Ashi asked as they finally came upon the creek, noticing the carcass of the deer, now stripped of its meat and left as a bloodstained carcass.

"No, not really." San replied as she removed her shoes and socks and placed them into her own pack. Ashi rose his eyebrow as to why San had done that to which San gave him a deadpan glance. "What? You take off your shoes when you enter your home, so do I."

She then walked over to the creek and rubbed what appeared to be the night sky in ointment form on her finger tips. She knelt down and pinched the water. Surprisingly, the water took on a rather gel-like appearance. San then lifted up the water like the trunk of a car and a sheet of glowing liquid rose up. She then stepped aside as if she was waiting for him to do something only to be disappointed and confused to notice Ashi just standing there. "Well, come on. What are you waiting for, an invitation?"

"What was that stuff?" Ashi asked.

"Long story short, this is the door," San replied, pointing at the sheet of glowing water, "and this is the door key." She waved a jar full of the stuff. Ashi was still somewhat pensive before he sighed and walked up to the watery doorway, only to stop mid-step. San groaned at his hesitation, "Look, it's perfectly safe." She stuck her arm into the water which disappeared for a moment only for her to pull it out, surprisingly bone-dry. "See?" Ashi sighed as he took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and stepped into the water. When he opened his eyes, he noticed he was standing in a heavily forested area with small islands floating among a massive pool of water while colossal, thick-trunked trees covered in moss nearly touched the skies. Just then, he heard San emerge from the portal as well. "Here we are," she declared, "Seiji-No-Mori; Forest of Spirits and Home Sweet Home."

"You live here?" Ashi asked, awestruck. San shrugged, "Yeah. Pretty much." She then went ahead of him, jumping gracefully from one island to the next, leaving bare footprints in the moss.

"This place is beautiful!" Ashi exclaimed, trying to keep up with the she-werewolf. San just shrugged, "Eh, it's okay, I guess. Kinda loses its charm once you grow up in it though. Then you just get used to it." Suddenly, San stopped as she seemed to hear something as a rank smell hit her nostrils. She knelt down and felt the ground with her fingers. She then seemed to groan. "Hey, Ashitaka?"

"Yeah?" he asked.

"How long can you hold your breath underwater?"

"Um, pretty long actu-"

"Good," San spoke quickly, "hide."

"Um, wh-"

"Just. Hide."

"Hide where exactly?"

"You see the water in front of you?"

"Yes?"

"Hide in there."

"You're really not giving me a good reason why."

San groaned and ran her fingers through her hair in frustration. "Because, there are some denizens of this place who kinda don't take kindly to humans and if they spot you... well..." She emphasized her point with a slitting throat gesture. "Get the idea?"

Ashi sighed, took off his shoes and socks and dove into the surprisingly lukewarm water, making sure to swim behind a rotting old log floating in a rather pathetic state. "Stay. There." San hissed as the sound of giant footsteps began to make the water vibrate. Peeking out from behind the log, Ashi's eyes widened at the sight before him: Boars. Giant boars bigger than any he had ever seen in his life. Even the smallest of them was practically the size of a rhinoceros while the largest were big enough to be considered Kaiju in and of themselves. They were squealing and oinking as they walked along. San noticed him from the corner of her eye. "Keep. Your. Head. Down." she hissed.

" **Who are you talking to**?" one of the larger boars asked, its masculine voice echoing like thunder. The boar was gigantic, covered in bristly, brown fur, and was easily the size of a small Kaiju like Baragon. San just placed her hand on her hip in a very sassy manner and rose her eyebrow, "You, I believe, Nago," she replied, "I don't see anyone _else_ around here." The boar (Nago as he was called) snorted in frustration, " **Don't play dumb with me, wolf-brat,** " he growled, " **you were speaking to someone and I want to know who**." Just then, the boar sniffed the girl in front of him and let out the porcine equivalent of a grimace. " **You reek of humans**."

San sighed and rolled her eyes, "Of _course_ I smell like humans, Nago. I've been spending time with them for the last few days. Look if it'll make you feel better, I'll take a quick soak in the water and the human smell will wash right off."

Nago's eyes narrowed in suspicion as a growl emanated from his throat. " **You'd best not be lying to me, wolf-brat. If you are, I will-** "

" **You will do** _ **nothing**_."

From his hiding place, Ashi's eyes widened as a much larger boar, twice the size of Nago, entered the fray. This boar towered above the trees and was covered in silver fur. He was also much older judging from his sonorous voice, the chipped tusks, the mane of gray fur on his back, the fur missing from the end of his snout, and the sound of his bones popping each time he moved, clearly indicating he was way past his prime.

" **Nago,** " the new boar scolded the younger, " **the last thing we want is a war with the Mononoke Clan and the Okami tribe in general. Such accusations are** ** _not_** **simply casual by nature**."

" **B-but, Lord Okkoto** -" Nago attempted to explain.

" ** _Enough_** **!** " Okkoto decreed, silencing the younger boar, " **We shall discuss this later. Am. I. Understood**?"

Nago let out the pig equivalent of a sigh but lowered his head in compliance. " **Yes, my lord**." He then walked away, the ground thundering beneath his steps. Okkoto turned his eyes, clouded by his age, toward San and gave her a respectful bow. " **My apologies, Daughter of Moro,** " the boar told her, " **on behalf of myself and my tribe**."

San returned the bow, "Much obliged, oh Mighty Lord Okkoto."

With that, Okkoto lumbered back into the forests, disappearing into the night. Once the boars were gone, San sighed in relief and turned to Ashitaka's hiding place. "Okay, you can come out now!"

Ashi swam over to the clearing, his body soaking wet. "Were those-?"

"Yes," San interrupted, "they were boars. To be more specific, those were boar _gods_. Why do you think this place is called 'Seiji-No-Mori'?"

"Should I be worried about them?"

San shrugged, "Eh, just the ones who tend to distrust humans... which is actually the _majority_ of them. The one to _really_ look out for would have to be Nago. Out of all the boars of the Nushi clan, the only one willing to listen to any reason whatsoever is Okkoto. Anyway, my home's just up ahead." Ashi made sure to put his shoes back on, but left his socks off as he followed the werewolf girl. After what seemed like an hour trekking through the forest, the two finally came across a tall cliff overlooking most of the forest before them with a stony cropping at the top. The two began to trek their way up it to which they discovered nobody was inside of the den.

"Mom! Ichii! Nii!" San called out. Ashi noticed it was empty save for a sheet of wolf fur on the ground spread out like a crude, flat mattress. San sighed, "Well, looks like they're probably out on patrol."

"They do that normally?" Ashi asked.

"Twice every week. Though it tends to be different days." San replied before letting out a yawn, "Ah well, we can just sleep here until they get back."

"Is that why you brought me here?"

"To introduce you to my clan? Pretty much." San replied. She then frowned noticing Ashi just standing where he was. "Well, aren't you going to sleep?"

"You mean next to you?"

San gave him a deadpan stare, "No, next to the big pile of rocks to your left. What do you _think_?"

Ashi sighed and took his place beside the girl. "Hey, San?"

"Yeah?"

"You're gonna vouch for me, right?" he asked.

"Don't worry, Ashitaka, I'll vouch for you." San murmured.

"You're sure you'll do that?"

"Hey, Ashitaka?" San asked.

"Yeah?"

"...Good night."

Before he could say anything, San had already fallen asleep. With a sigh, Ashi closed his eyes and let sleep envelop him in its warm embrace.


End file.
